Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA0 have arrested at least six warehouse and tarmac staff of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc for their involvement in drug trafficking.
The arrested staff had attempted to export substances believed to be cocaine out of the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Some of the suspects were arrested on Monday at the international wing following a tip-off by some security agents of the NDLEA.
A female staff of the ground handling company was among those arrested.
The suspects had attempted to smuggle 26 kilogrammes of cocaine aboard Ethiopian Airlines to Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.
The investigation so far has revealed that the suspects agreed to help courier the banned substance out of the country after an exporter had allegedly paid them money in foreign currency.
An NDLEA source said the substance was concealed in two luggage and was first checked-in on Sunday on the flight.
However, rather than the two bags to be put on board by the suspects on Sunday, they moved the departure of the bag to Monday, but when it was weighed again, the contents in the bag had increased from 22 to 26 kilogrammes, which drew suspicion of NDLEA officers at the tarmac who kept surveillance on the two bags.
The heinous crime was exposed on Monday when the lady staff of NAHCO went to load the two pieces of luggage into the aircraft; leading to her arrest by NDLEA operatives.
Her arrest led to the apprehension of five others involved in the crime.
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